When the seasons change, I begin to reflect and plan for the months ahead - where will we travel? What items do I need to add into my closet? In what ways can I make a difference in the lives of others? Although this blog is primarily fashion-focused, I know that fashion only makes up a small part of our lives. There’s beauty, travel, food, relationships, family, giving back…and I want to bring you more aspects that make up our daily lives here on It’s Julien.

Let’s start with giving back. Often, we think of giving back as volunteering weeks building schools in a third-world country. Although this is certainly a worthy cause (and something I did when I was younger), giving back is much easier than we used to think. Here are a few easy ways to incorporate giving back into your routine:

Shop ethicallyI’ve tried to be much more socially conscious when shopping this year - have you ever seen “The True Cost?” Eye opening, my friends. So when it comes to shopping, I place more importance on transparency more than ever. I love To The Market (see my post about them here!) because their site features survivor made goods that are not only helping women who’ve escaped a dangerous life, but the products are really beautiful. I also love the transparency and fair treatment of other companies like Everlane, Cuyana and VETTA (whom I invested in during their kickstarter campaign!)

Share-a-HaircutSpeaking of helping survivors, I’m so excited that Hair Cuttery is launching their spring Share-a-Haircut campaign! On May 2-3, for every haircut purchased, they donate a free haircut to a community member in need. This year at 900 salons across the country, they’re donating haircuts to victim’s of domestic violence through the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), a non-profit that serves to stand with victims of domestic abuse and their allies. Not only does this help those women, men and children get pampered, but it also allows them to save money on a service that’s not always affordable for them, aiding in their financial empowerment.

This is the 17th year Hair Cuttery is doing the program and have already given away over 1.34 MILLION haircut certificates to those in need. For their last campaign, they gave away 85,000 in February alone. So if you’re planning on getting a cut or trim at Hair Cuttery anytime soon, keep May 2 and 3 in mind! Find your nearest location here.

Do something special for someoneGiving back doesn’t have to mean formally volunteering X amount of hours to a certain organization - I like to think of it as making the world a better place, one step at a time. I love this idea because it allows us to think outside ourselves and place the focus on others (which in turn, makes us happier people!) A few ideas on how to do something nice for someone:

Pay for someone’s meal in the drive through

Pick up donuts for your coworkers one morning

Offer to help an elderly person carry their groceries to their car

Hold the elevator for someone (I’m all too quick to press the close button upon entering!)

Compliment someone on their work (a blog post, a work assignment, a waitress serving you, your local barista)

Drop off a snack for the homeless person you pass on your way to work

What other ways do you like to give back? I’d love to hear them in the comments below!

This post was done in partnership with Hair Cuttery. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep It's Julien up and running!